Tra-nah, the Capital of Ontario
Trip Start
May 24, 2006
1
42
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Trip End
Nov 30, 2006
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Toronto,
Ontario,
Canada
Thursday, November 2, 2006
Carl had some time off work and was eager to make sure we saw the right things in and about Toronto and proposed a trip to Niagara Falls, a well received idea.
The following morning, Dave, Marianne, Carl and myself drove down to the Falls and took a look around and even behind the water, and the general consensus was that the Canadian side was spectacular and the American side was lacking somewhat (bias? Possibly but we were on the right side so who cares...) it was beautiful.
We also took a look around the more commercial side of the falls, a neon-lighted, casino-orientated marvel, one in which we did not partake much. We did however go to Montana's Diner, where the waitresses are famous for introducing themselves and then writing their names upside-down on the tablecloths so you don't forget it- separating the best diners from the rest.
Carl worked as the producer for the Just For Laughs Montreal comedy festival and managed to score us some tickets to a show that night in Massey Hall, it was the cream of Canadian standup comedy and an excellent night out, leaving our abdomens that little bit tighter.
Over the course of the week we had the chance to check out downtown Toronto well and truly, Dave made a great tour guide having lived there for several years. We frequented Chinatown around Spadina Ave. and the quirky Kensington Markets where I picked up some great second hand cowboy boots, wandering around with cups of organic decaf soy lattes with extra froth (not really, but the option was there) and Jamaican beef patties.
We shared some great meals with several of Dave's friends all of whom were very welcoming and hospitable, one particularly memorable one resulted in a tour of an expansive whiskey collection and one hell of a stumble home.
One afternoon we took the ferry over to Centre Island, a residential island known for its old and eccentric houses and fantastic views of the city and Lake Ontario. The weather was unusually warm and very pleasant, but I still couldn't see the appeal in the beaches.
Our stay in Toronto couldn't have been better and much of that was due to everyone being so generous, a big thankyou to Liz, Carl and Marianne for making it what it was.
